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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28862502">Not a Liege</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OGMadster/pseuds/OGMadster'>OGMadster</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Kyler, Shadowbringer [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XIV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers Spoilers, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:40:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>493</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28862502</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OGMadster/pseuds/OGMadster</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Urianger makes a confession and gives an apology; Kyler responds</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Kyler, Shadowbringer [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2116575</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Not a Liege</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi hello this is what happens when the game doesn't give me the option to say or do what I desperately want to.<br/>This corresponds with the Lv. 79 quest "The Unbroken Thread"</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Urianger knelt at his feet. Kyler listened to him confess, head bowed. He heard every word, understood each one, and yet his mind stuck on the position he had put himself in, gaze transfixed on the part of his silver hair: here he was, his friend and companion, on one knee. As though Kyler were a Lord, a King. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But if thou wilt allow, I shall travel with thee still. What strength and wisdom I possess are thine to command.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” he said and barely registered the reactions of his comrades in his periphery, already moving to kneel beside him. “Urianger, no,” Kyler took him into his arms, hugging him close. He felt him freeze in his embrace and he squeezed him a touch tighter still. His words were failing him and yet he had to make him see, needed him to understand…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mustering the will, Kyler pulled back, locking eyes with him, his hands yet on his shoulders. “I won’t command you. I’m not your king or your lord, I’m your </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend</span>
  </em>
  <span> and </span>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t blame you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Urianger’s golden eyes were wide and his lips parted in shock, his mouth hanging just slightly open. He stared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been between the devil and the deep blue sea for what must feel like an age, and you’ve done only what you deemed to be right every step of the way. What you felt you </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to do. And I don’t blame you. Not for G’raha, not for Ardbert and the others, and,” he paused, bolstered himself to say, “not for Minfilia.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The statement hung in the air like a blast of aether, an atmosphere all its own encompassing the Scions. The only people who could truly understand the gravity of those words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But,” Urianger began, voice soft, tiny, hardly more than a whisper. His lips trembled, and when he blinked, tears broke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t,” Kyler insisted, looking back and forth between his vibrant golden eyes. “I never did. You are a good man, Urianger, and though I don’t feel the need to say these words, you need to hear them: I forgive you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Urianger’s expression twisted at that and he leaned in, tucking his face in near Kyler’s shoulder, and hugged him back. Kyler held him and though Urianger cried silently he could feel the tremors of it. He waited, taking comfort in the contact too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a long moment Urianger took a shuddering breath and drew back, wiping away his tears with the heel of one hand and mumbling something about “blubbering mess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kyler smiled at him, giving his arm what he hoped was an encouraging squeeze, and stood, offering him his hand. It was a symbolic gesture, they both well knew, but Urianger smiled up at him, his face ruddy from weeping, but if he was embarrassed it was buried beneath pure relief. He took his hand and rose to stand beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” he said, his smile building. “My friend.”</span>
</p>
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